Microsoft Claim App Store Is Generic Term

When you think of the term "App Store", what do you think of? Are you immediately put in mind of Apple’s repository of apps available for the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and now even on its laptops and desktops? Well one group who don’t immediately link the two is the people over at Microsoft.

Steve Ballmer et al have this week filed a motion to the US Patent and Trademark Office to have Apple’s application for a patent on the term App Store to be dismissed. Microsoft claim that the term app store, as well as the individual words, is generic and is more descriptive than anything else. “Microsoft opposes Apple’s Application Serial No. 77/525433 for APP STORE on the grounds that “app store” is generic for retail store services featuring apps and unregistrable for ancillary services such as searching for and downloading apps from such stores.” So goes the motion filed by Microsoft, which is looking for the application to be dismissed immediately.

In its motion, Microsoft use Steve Jobs own words against him, quoting his diatribe on the fragmentation of Android last October where he spoke about multiple app stores within Android. Apple applied for the patent on App Store as far back as July 2008 and opposition to the claim was flagged over six months ago, though it seems as if Microsoft has now escalated matters with its request for a summary dismissal of the claim.